Corey Seager capped a four-run second inning with an RBI double as the Texas Rangers opened a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays with a 7-1 win on Friday in Arlington, Texas.
Texas (77-77) drew 10 walks and moved into a first-place tie with the Houston Astros in the American League West.
Toronto (76-78) fell one game behind the Rangers and two games back of the Chicago White Sox (78-76) for the final AL Wild Card spot.
Jake Burger had two RBIs for the Rangers, who won for the fifth time in their last six games.
Trevor Williams (2-0) closed the game by striking out four batters over four scoreless innings for the win.
Myles Straw had two hits with an RBI for the Blue Jays, who committed three errors and lost for the third time in their last four games.
Texas took a 4-0 lead in the second inning against Dylan Cease (11-6), who issued back-to-back walks before Lopez singled to load the bases. With one out, shortstop Ernie Clement made a throwing error on Evan Carter fielder’s choice grounder, allowing two runs to score.
Another run scored on Ezequiel Duran’s sacrifice fly before Seager capped the rally with an RBI double to right field.
Cease allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits over 2 2/3 innings. He walked six and struck out three.
Toronto got on the board against Kumar Rocker in the fifth inning when Josh Smith scored from second on Straw’s one-out double.
Rocker gave up one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.
The Rangers added to their lead with a run in the fifth when Brandon Nimmo scored on Burger’s sacrifice fly.
Toronto’s control issues surfaced again with one out in the sixth inning, when Langford drew a bases-loaded walk from Brendon Little.
The Blue Jays escaped further damage when Jose Rodriguez replaced Little for his major league debut and recorded two quick outs.
Texas tacked on a run in the eighth inning on Burger’s RBI double against Joe Mantiply.
